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How Important Is Consuming Protein?

Everyone knows what protein is, in general, but most people don’t have a deeper concept of just how vital it is to our body. It is so important to consume enough healthy protein in our diet and from a healthy source. Opinions vary, but it is recommended that it is healthy to consume anywhere from 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily. A bodybuilder’s protein intake recommendations may be higher in order to add the desired muscle mass.

So What Are Proteins?

Proteins are the macronutrients that form the foundation of our diet. Proteins help to build new cells and regulate the metabolism. They actually help all of your cells communicate and shuttle oxygen throughout the body in the form of hemoglobin. They also have the ability to build muscle.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. It is absolutely essential that we consume these daily and in the right way. Our DNA directs the body to join various combinations of amino acids into a variety of sequences, each serving a unique function and feeding our bodies exactly what it needs.

We can store fats and carbohydrates to draw on when needed, but we do not have a storage pool of amino acids. We need to add to it each day in order to build the body proteins that we need. If we are missing a particular amino acid to form the protein it needs, it will pull that amino acid by breaking down existing muscle protein. Consistently lacking certain amino acids means we will lose muscle weight, energy and, eventually, fundamental body functions.

The Main Sources Of Daily Protein:

Meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, and fish are complete sources of protein. They contain all of the essential amino acids.

Nuts, seeds, beans, peas, and whole grains. However, in order to consume all of the essential amino acids, plant foods must be used to complement each other with their amino acid profiles. Beans tend to be low in one amino acid that grains have plenty of, so combining these foods forms a complete protein, like beans and rice.

Be sure and consume your daily healthy protein and remember that centering on a protein diet promotes energy, healthy muscles and even weight loss!

Kambucha For Your Health

What is Kambucha? If you’ve never heard of it, it is a great drink that can really boost your health. It was believed to have been originally from Asia and spread from the Far East to Europe and today it is practically a staple in the diets of the health and wellness groups all over the world.

It is made from a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), which is a rubbery organism that you put in sweetened green or black tea. You let it ferment in a glass container for about a week or so. As a culture, the SCOBY will digest the sugar in the tea and all its own will produce multiple organic acids, vitamin C and B, enzymes and amino acids. You can then add more tea, fruit juice or fruit to flavor this now fizzy delicious drink.

Avocados And Many Of Their Amazing Health Benefits

Avocados have a high fat content, but it is a super healthy fat. They were once put on the bad foods list for this fact and yet now they are one of the most popular foods because of their wonderful nutritional value. They are literally packed with the healthy monounsaturated fat, lutein, potassium, folate and numerous other vitamins and nutrients. Avocados support your entire body, from your heart to your eyes.

What are some specific things avocados can do for you?

Heart protection – the high amounts of potassium regulates blood pressure, which helps to prevent heart disease and strokes, and even lower cholesterol. The folate in them also contributes to lowering your chances of getting heart disease and heart attacks.

Your vision – A fabulous ingredient in avocados is lutein, numerous antioxidants and zeaxanthin……all that protect your eyes from macular degeneration and even improve your eyesight.

Cancer prevention – The numerous antioxidants in avocados are a great cancer prevention. Oleic acid that is prevalent is known protection against breast cancer.

Great source of fiber – Consuming healthy amounts of fiber is a major component in the prevention of chronic disease. Avocados are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibers.

A stronger immune system – The high amount of antioxidants directly supports the immune system.

Lose weight – The high amounts of monounsaturated fats in avocados actually speeds up your metabolic rate which can help with weight loss.

Prevent halitosis – Believe it or not, but avocados can get rid of bad breath! It is able to effectively remove intestinal putrefaction and decomposition which is the actual cause of bad breath and a coated tongue.

A protein source – They provide ALL 18 essential amino acids we need for our bodies to form a complete protein, that is just amazing! Also, the protein in an avocado is easy to digest and readily absorbed due to their fiber content.

We all love a delicious guacamole, but adding a little avocado to your daily meals can benefit your health tremendously! Add it to a burger, a salad, slice it up on the side with a little salt and pepper or use it as a condiment.

What Is Metabolic Syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is not a disease but a group of risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and increased abdominal fat. It tends to run in families, so you can be genetically predisposed to it. It is also more common among African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans. As you get older, the risk of developing it tends to go up.

Metabolic syndrome can be a serious health condition that you should take seriously if you have been diagnosed with it. It can give you a higher risk of heart disease, stroke and vascular disease and you are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. It has become very common in the United States with close to 20 to 25 percent of adult Americans diagnosed with it, nearly 50 million Americans have it, according to the American Heart Association, that’s about one out of every six people!

Insulin resistance is a factor associated with it, which is where the body can’t use insulin efficiently. This creates issues because the body needs insulin to convert sugar and starch into energy and insulin is a hormone that helps move blood sugar into cells for this important purpose. Once you develop this, it can lead to high blood sugar levels and easy weight gain, especially around the mid-section. Instead of having energy it all goes to storing everything you eat into fat. This tends to be a hereditary condition, so if you have a history of it in your family or diabetes, you should be especially conscious of a healthy and active lifestyle.

The good news is that it can be easily controlled and reversed, mainly by simple changes to your lifestyle, such as a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. It is also possible to prevent or delay its onset, so a healthy and physically active lifestyle should be a lifelong commitment.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you might be anxious and worried, but the best thing to do is be grateful and think of it as a wake-up call. It’s not something to ignore or mess around with, but instead a time to get serious about improving your overall health for life. Making some simple changes to your daily habits and eating routine that is recommended by your doctor can prevent serious illness in the future.

The Way To Maximize Your Metabolism

What exactly is your metabolism? It is the process of how we burn our calories we eat and how quickly or easily we gain and lose weight. Age and genetics play a role, and there’s nothing we can do about that, but there are other ways to speed it up if you want to.

First, a key piece of advice, is to get your thyroid checked by a qualified practitioner (they are hard to find). If your thyroid is under active then boosting your metabolism will be a real challenge.

A key way to boost your metabolism is to eat breakfast! This can boost it by as much as 10%. Eating a healthy protein is the best choice for sure and this gets the digestion process going to start your metabolism burning.

Eating protein is a great way to support and boost your metabolism, by as much as 25%! It requires more energy to digest protein which burns more calories and it sustains you for longer.

Regular exercise is key, especially earlier in the day. If you can even take a brisk walk first thing in the morning this will get your motor going and burn more calories throughout the day. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so don’t forget to include some anaerobic activities in your work out routine (stretching, weight lifting and resistance exercises).

Get your fiber! Having a diet rich in fiber is very helpful. It makes you feel fuller longer which helps with weight management and keep you regular.

Try just a few of these and see what happens! These are easy changes that will have dramatic effects on your metabolism.

The Amazing Health Benefits Of Coconut Milk

Coconut is a unique flavor and not everyone likes it, but it is becoming increasingly popular because of all of the great health benefits it has from the coconut itself, coconut milk, coconut water and coconut oil. Coconut milk is a very healthy alternative to other products and especially for those who are intolerant to traditional cow dairy. It is rich in healthy saturated fat and many other wonderful nutrients.

Coconut milk is rich in vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 as well as iron, selenium, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. It’s a great option for those who are allergic to traditional cow’s milk or who don’t care for almond milk.It is also a rich source of phosphorus. It contains selenium, an antioxidant, which relieves arthritis and is a rich source of magnesium, which helps to calm the nerves and maintain normal blood pressure. It is a great source of fiber, which makes you feel fuller for a longer time and if taken in moderation, can help to control or contribute to weight loss.

Even though coconut milk contains saturated fat, it reduces cholesterol levels and contains lauric acid which boosts HDL, which is your good cholesterol.

Like coconut oil, coconut milk is great for your hair in many ways by nourishing your hair giving natural moisture from roots to ends. It boosts the hair follicles and stimulates hair growth, restoring dry, damaged, weakened and brittle hair as well as split ends, and as a bonus it works as a natural hair detangler.

I love to drink it but there are many other uses for it. Enjoy it in a protein smoothie, with cereal or for your hair!

A List Of Paleo Foods For Beginners

What is the Paleo Diet? It is eating like they did during the Paleolithic Period, or that’s the idea behind it….imagining what was eaten…WAY back in the day. This means anything we could hunt or find – meats, fish, nuts, leafy greens, regional veggies, and seeds. The idea is to focus on protein and vegetables that are from whole and natural sources, plus a little bit of healthy fats and very few carbs.

We all have to start somewhere and sometimes having ideas or a list really helps! On the Paleo Diet you can’t have dairy, grains, starches, wheat or legumes….but what CAN you have? It can be a challenge to make these changes, so here’s some specific ideas on what to put on your shopping list.

Healthy meats of all kinds and fish, plus fruits and veggies are a winner. Everyone knows fruit is healthy but too much is not good for you because many of them are high in sugar, which spikes your blood sugar. So what are the approved fruits and veggies, oils, nuts and seeds? Here’s some great ideas for you….

Suggestions for healthy vegetables:

Asparagus

Artichoke hearts

Carrots

Spinach

Celery

Broccoli

Zucchini

Cabbage

Peppers

Cauliflower

Parsley

Eggplant

Green Onions

Suggestions for healthy fruits:

Apple

Bananas (but limited)

Avocado

Blackberries

Papaya

Peaches

Plums

Mango

Lychee

Blueberries

Lemon

Strawberries

Watermelon

Lime

Raspberries

Cantaloupe

Oranges

Suggestions for healthy nuts and seeds:

Almonds

Cashews

Pecans

Pine Nuts

Pumpkin Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Macadamia Nut

Walnuts

Suggestions for healthy oils:

Coconut oil

Olive oil

Macadamia Oil

I always love something I can print out and take to the grocery store with me. I hope this helps you follow your new lifestyle changes on the fantastic Paleo Diet!

Living a nourishing protein centered lifestyle and all the health benefits surrounding it. Nutrition education and a mission of malnutrition abatement across the world. Inspired health writer and happiness advocate. ( : Spread a smile today.